Immune-mediated inflammatory disorders (IMIDs) are a group of diseases that involve an immune response that is inappropriate or excessive, and is caused or accompanied by dysregulation of the organism normal cytokine milieu. IMIDs cause acute or chronic inflammatory injury in one or more than one organ system. IMIDs include allergies, asthma, the rejection of solid organ transplants, and autoimmune diseases, such as autoimmune hepatitis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, systemic lupus and vitiligo.
As an example, one IMID, type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, is one of the most frequent chronic diseases in children and adolescents, and has a steadily increasing worldwide prevalence and incidence. In a majority of cases, the onset of type 1 diabetes begins with the display by antigen presenting cells (APCs) of autoantigens synthesized by pancreatic β-cells. This display results in the immune system destruction of pancreatic beta cells mediated mostly by T helper 1 (Th1) and cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The specific destruction of β-cells results in loss of insulin production and causes the high morbidity and mortality associated with the disease.
Although daily insulin injection can ameliorate type 1 diabetes, it does not provide precise replacement of physiological levels of the hormone. A safe, potent, and practical approach to stop pathological autoimmunity could be used to reverse the disease by permitting β-cells to regenerate or regain function, and could also be used to prevent rejection of transplanted islets used as treatment for the disease.
Many prophylactic and therapeutic approaches for type 1 diabetes attempt to prevent the destruction of beta cells by inducing the immune system to delete, inactivate or suppress pathogenic self-reactive lymphocytes, such as by administering vaccines that solely deliver autoantigen, or by administering substances that are direct effectors of the immune system, such as cytokines. Currently available DNA-based vaccines, however, are not completely efficient in preventing and even less efficient in treating the disease, and the use of some of these vaccines is associated with inducing or enhancing autoimmunity rather than preventing the disease. Additionally, the use of cytokines is associated with significant morbidity because of their general suppression of the immune system.
Therefore, there is a need for a new method for preventing, delaying the onset of, or treating immune-mediated inflammatory disorders using substances or compositions that are not associated with these disadvantages. Further, there is a need for a new method for preventing, delaying the onset of, or treating immune-mediated inflammatory disorders that are not associated with these disadvantages.